12 Movies You Wrongly Thought Bombed In 2018
12. Red Sparrow
Budget: $69 million
Box Office: $151.6 million
In addition to receiving mixed reviews from critics, this Jennifer Lawrence-starring spy thriller was largely deemed a box office dud by the mainstream press, even though it was ultimately a moderately successful disappointment rather than an actual failure.
Despite grossing just $17 million in its opening domestic weekend - short of the $20-24 million estimates - Red Sparrow made almost 70% of its profit internationally, performing especially well in Europe and Australia.
The big sticking point for many was the movie's budget, which was undeniably bloated out by Lawrence's absurd $15–20 million salary. Had the star taken a slightly more "modest" $8-10 million payday, then the box office narrative would likely have been a little different.
While falling short of what Fox expected a Lawrence-starring movie to make, Red Sparrow was far from a flop.